Vista - Aero API

Hi,

Is there a developer API for Aero Glass that can allow me to write custom
window transitions, add effects, move windows around smoothly, etc?

Thanks,
Ram Shriram

Hi Ram,

There is no newly exposed API that can allow you to write custom window
transitions, move windows around smoothly, etc. We do not have plans to
expose such API for Windows Vista.

Of course you can use USER32.DLL APIs such as AnimateWindow to achieve
window transitions.

As Zack mentions below, you can also use the new WinFX platform (see
http://msdn.microsoft.com/winfx/) to create compelling visual experiences
inside your windows.

Thanks:
Ivo


"Zack Whittaker (R2 Mentor)" wrote:

> Hey,
>
> Not sure if there is an API out there, but I've found this link which might
> have some useful stuff. You can either use the WinFX SDK and Visual Studio
> 2005 to create Aero models as well as Indigo technologies, but check out
> some of the links on this site anyway )
>
> http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com...b5a7ccdb10.asp
>
>
> --
> Zack Whittaker
> Microsoft Beta (Windows Server R2 Beta Mentor)
> » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk
> » MSBlog on ResDev: http://msblog.resdev.net
> » ZackNET Forum: www.zacknet.co.uk/forum
> » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not
> of my employer, best friend, mother or cat. Let's be clear on that one!
>
>
>
>
> "Ram Shriram" wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Is there a developer API for Aero Glass that can allow me to write custom
>> window transitions, add effects, move windows around smoothly, etc?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Ram Shriram
>>

On a similar note, how do you go about creating a window with the glass
effect like WMP and the picture viewer?


"Ivo Manolov [MS]" wrote:

> Hi Ram,
>
> There is no newly exposed API that can allow you to write custom window
> transitions, move windows around smoothly, etc. We do not have plans to
> expose such API for Windows Vista.
>
> Of course you can use USER32.DLL APIs such as AnimateWindow to achieve
> window transitions.
>
> As Zack mentions below, you can also use the new WinFX platform (see
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/winfx/) to create compelling visual experiences
> inside your windows.
>
> Thanks:
> Ivo
>
>
> "Zack Whittaker (R2 Mentor)" wrote:
>
> > Hey,
> >
> > Not sure if there is an API out there, but I've found this link which might
> > have some useful stuff. You can either use the WinFX SDK and Visual Studio
> > 2005 to create Aero models as well as Indigo technologies, but check out
> > some of the links on this site anyway )
> >
> > http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com...b5a7ccdb10.asp
> >
> >
> > --
> > Zack Whittaker
> > Microsoft Beta (Windows Server R2 Beta Mentor)
> > » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk
> > » MSBlog on ResDev: http://msblog.resdev.net
> > » ZackNET Forum: www.zacknet.co.uk/forum
> > » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no
> > rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not
> > of my employer, best friend, mother or cat. Let's be clear on that one!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > "Ram Shriram" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> Is there a developer API for Aero Glass that can allow me to write custom
> >> window transitions, add effects, move windows around smoothly, etc?
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Ram Shriram
> >>

Brandon,

All API functions provide by the DWM are exposed through dwmapi.dll (link to
dwmapi.lib, include dwmapi.h). To achieve client area glass, you need to use
the DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow API.

Unfortunately, the December CTP build (5270) lacks documentation on the DWM
APIs (dwmapi.h is your best bet), but here is a code snippet which should
help:

...
RECT r = {0};
GetClientRect(hwnd, &r);
HRGN hrgn = CreateRectRgn(0, 0, r.right - r.left, r.bottom - r.top);

DWM_BLURBEHIND bb = {0};
bb.dwFlags = DWM_BB_ENABLE | DWM_BB_BLURREGION;
bb.fEnable = TRUE;
bb.hRgnBlur = hrgn;

HRESULT hr = DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow(hwnd, &bb);
...


This comes with the usual disclaimer -- we have not yet completely
solidified the API, so any applications that you write may be broken by
future API revisions.

Hope that helps:
Ivo

"Brandon Furtwangler" wrote:

> On a similar note, how do you go about creating a window with the glass
> effect like WMP and the picture viewer?
>
>
> "Ivo Manolov [MS]" wrote:
>
> > Hi Ram,
> >
> > There is no newly exposed API that can allow you to write custom window
> > transitions, move windows around smoothly, etc. We do not have plans to
> > expose such API for Windows Vista.
> >
> > Of course you can use USER32.DLL APIs such as AnimateWindow to achieve
> > window transitions.
> >
> > As Zack mentions below, you can also use the new WinFX platform (see
> > http://msdn.microsoft.com/winfx/) to create compelling visual experiences
> > inside your windows.
> >
> > Thanks:
> > Ivo
> >
> >
> > "Zack Whittaker (R2 Mentor)" wrote:
> >
> > > Hey,
> > >
> > > Not sure if there is an API out there, but I've found this link which might
> > > have some useful stuff. You can either use the WinFX SDK and Visual Studio
> > > 2005 to create Aero models as well as Indigo technologies, but check out
> > > some of the links on this site anyway )
> > >
> > > http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com...b5a7ccdb10.asp
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Zack Whittaker
> > > Microsoft Beta (Windows Server R2 Beta Mentor)
> > > » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk
> > > » MSBlog on ResDev: http://msblog.resdev.net
> > > » ZackNET Forum: www.zacknet.co.uk/forum
> > > » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no
> > > rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not
> > > of my employer, best friend, mother or cat. Let's be clear on that one!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "Ram Shriram" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Hi,
> > >>
> > >> Is there a developer API for Aero Glass that can allow me to write custom
> > >> window transitions, add effects, move windows around smoothly, etc?
> > >>
> > >> Thanks,
> > >> Ram Shriram
> > >>

Hi,

Is there any API used to implement glass effect for controls like combobox
and listview..

Thanks in advance ...
crish

"Ivo Manolov [MS]" wrote:

> Brandon,
>
> All API functions provide by the DWM are exposed through dwmapi.dll (link to
> dwmapi.lib, include dwmapi.h). To achieve client area glass, you need to use
> the DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow API.
>
> Unfortunately, the December CTP build (5270) lacks documentation on the DWM
> APIs (dwmapi.h is your best bet), but here is a code snippet which should
> help:
>
> ...
> RECT r = {0};
> GetClientRect(hwnd, &r);
> HRGN hrgn = CreateRectRgn(0, 0, r.right - r.left, r.bottom - r.top);
>
> DWM_BLURBEHIND bb = {0};
> bb.dwFlags = DWM_BB_ENABLE | DWM_BB_BLURREGION;
> bb.fEnable = TRUE;
> bb.hRgnBlur = hrgn;
>
> HRESULT hr = DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow(hwnd, &bb);
> ...
>
>
> This comes with the usual disclaimer -- we have not yet completely
> solidified the API, so any applications that you write may be broken by
> future API revisions.
>
> Hope that helps:
> Ivo
>
> "Brandon Furtwangler" wrote:
>
> > On a similar note, how do you go about creating a window with the glass
> > effect like WMP and the picture viewer?
> >
> >
> > "Ivo Manolov [MS]" wrote:
> >
> > > Hi Ram,
> > >
> > > There is no newly exposed API that can allow you to write custom window
> > > transitions, move windows around smoothly, etc. We do not have plans to
> > > expose such API for Windows Vista.
> > >
> > > Of course you can use USER32.DLL APIs such as AnimateWindow to achieve
> > > window transitions.
> > >
> > > As Zack mentions below, you can also use the new WinFX platform (see
> > > http://msdn.microsoft.com/winfx/) to create compelling visual experiences
> > > inside your windows.
> > >
> > > Thanks:
> > > Ivo
> > >
> > >
> > > "Zack Whittaker (R2 Mentor)" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hey,
> > > >
> > > > Not sure if there is an API out there, but I've found this link which might
> > > > have some useful stuff. You can either use the WinFX SDK and Visual Studio
> > > > 2005 to create Aero models as well as Indigo technologies, but check out
> > > > some of the links on this site anyway )
> > > >
> > > > http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com...b5a7ccdb10.asp
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Zack Whittaker
> > > > Microsoft Beta (Windows Server R2 Beta Mentor)
> > > > » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk
> > > > » MSBlog on ResDev: http://msblog.resdev.net
> > > > » ZackNET Forum: www.zacknet.co.uk/forum
> > > > » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no
> > > > rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not
> > > > of my employer, best friend, mother or cat. Let's be clear on that one!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Ram Shriram" wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Hi,
> > > >>
> > > >> Is there a developer API for Aero Glass that can allow me to write custom
> > > >> window transitions, add effects, move windows around smoothly, etc?
> > > >>
> > > >> Thanks,
> > > >> Ram Shriram
> > > >>

Hi Crish,

There is no direct way of doing that. In order to do that you have to
subclass the control in question to get it to draw glass. Please refer to
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...n_subclas3.asp for window subclassing.

We will be updating the documentation to provide additional information for
such scenarios for RC1.

Thanks:
Ivo


"crish" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Is there any API used to implement glass effect for controls like combobox
> and listview..
>
> Thanks in advance ...
> crish
>
> "Ivo Manolov [MS]" wrote:
>
> > Brandon,
> >
> > All API functions provide by the DWM are exposed through dwmapi.dll (link to
> > dwmapi.lib, include dwmapi.h). To achieve client area glass, you need to use
> > the DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow API.
> >
> > Unfortunately, the December CTP build (5270) lacks documentation on the DWM
> > APIs (dwmapi.h is your best bet), but here is a code snippet which should
> > help:
> >
> > ...
> > RECT r = {0};
> > GetClientRect(hwnd, &r);
> > HRGN hrgn = CreateRectRgn(0, 0, r.right - r.left, r.bottom - r.top);
> >
> > DWM_BLURBEHIND bb = {0};
> > bb.dwFlags = DWM_BB_ENABLE | DWM_BB_BLURREGION;
> > bb.fEnable = TRUE;
> > bb.hRgnBlur = hrgn;
> >
> > HRESULT hr = DwmEnableBlurBehindWindow(hwnd, &bb);
> > ...
> >
> >
> > This comes with the usual disclaimer -- we have not yet completely
> > solidified the API, so any applications that you write may be broken by
> > future API revisions.
> >
> > Hope that helps:
> > Ivo
> >
> > "Brandon Furtwangler" wrote:
> >
> > > On a similar note, how do you go about creating a window with the glass
> > > effect like WMP and the picture viewer?
> > >
> > >
> > > "Ivo Manolov [MS]" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi Ram,
> > > >
> > > > There is no newly exposed API that can allow you to write custom window
> > > > transitions, move windows around smoothly, etc. We do not have plans to
> > > > expose such API for Windows Vista.
> > > >
> > > > Of course you can use USER32.DLL APIs such as AnimateWindow to achieve
> > > > window transitions.
> > > >
> > > > As Zack mentions below, you can also use the new WinFX platform (see
> > > > http://msdn.microsoft.com/winfx/) to create compelling visual experiences
> > > > inside your windows.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks:
> > > > Ivo
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > "Zack Whittaker (R2 Mentor)" wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hey,
> > > > >
> > > > > Not sure if there is an API out there, but I've found this link which might
> > > > > have some useful stuff. You can either use the WinFX SDK and Visual Studio
> > > > > 2005 to create Aero models as well as Indigo technologies, but check out
> > > > > some of the links on this site anyway )
> > > > >
> > > > > http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com...b5a7ccdb10.asp
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Zack Whittaker
> > > > > Microsoft Beta (Windows Server R2 Beta Mentor)
> > > > > » ZackNET Enterprises: www.zacknet.co.uk
> > > > > » MSBlog on ResDev: http://msblog.resdev.net
> > > > > » ZackNET Forum: www.zacknet.co.uk/forum
> > > > > » This mailing is provided "as is" with no warranties, and confers no
> > > > > rights. All opinions expressed are those of myself unless stated so, and not
> > > > > of my employer, best friend, mother or cat. Let's be clear on that one!
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > "Ram Shriram" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >> Hi,
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Is there a developer API for Aero Glass that can allow me to write custom
> > > > >> window transitions, add effects, move windows around smoothly, etc?
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Thanks,
> > > > >> Ram Shriram
> > > > >>